Visual control device or the like



llg- 3l, 1954 H G. cHRlsTENsoN 2,687,705

, VI-SUAL CONTROL DEVICE 0R THE LIKE Filed June 9, 1951 Patented Aug.31, 1954 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,687,705 VISUAL CONTROL DEVICE OR`THE LIKE HelmerG. Christenson, South Euclid, Ohio `Application June 9,1951,

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to visual types of control, register, orindicator devices or similar apparatus wherein any desired data can bevisually indicated in an easily readable manner.

In large oflices, such as insurance oflices, where the salesmen are inand out of the oilice constantly, it is very difficult for the oiliceclerical staffs and management to keep track of the different salesmenand know definitely when they anticipate being in the office again, orwhether they are in the oice at any given time.

In apparatus of the type referred to, it is necessary that the registeror indicator devices be` accurately maintained, but

easily adjusted, be yet be readily manipulated by persons using thedevice.

` too fragile forthe rough use to which it was subjected, or`they mayhave been one or more other` reasons.

The general object of the to avoid and overcome the disadvantages withprevious control devices of the class objectionable for presentinvention is foregoing and other types of register or described, and toof such data.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control device which iscompact and sturdy in construction and which is of attractiveappearance.

vStill another object of the invention is Vpro- 'vide a` control deviceof the class described Where- `cated in general by Serial No. 230,765

2 in movable indicator means can be moved and read from both sides ofthe control device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed wherein a movable marker can readily be replaced when damaged,or wherein markers can easily be added to or removed from the apparatuswhich is otherwise completely constructed, at any desired time.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will bemade more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attentionis now directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a register and control device embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary: rear elevation of a portion of the device ofFig. 1 when rotated 180 on its vertical axis;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary. horizontal section through a part of the frametaken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing how the ends of the positioneror carrier bars are secured therein;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through a carrier bar andindicator device taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modification of the invention.

The present invention relates to a control or register device of theclass described wherein ,a frame having an open center portion isprovided, a plurality of carrier bars of substantially I- shape insection are in the open center of the frame in parallel relation, meansposition such carrier bars in spaced relation in the frame, indicatormeans are slidably engaged with an edge flange of at least one carrierbar, which indicator means project over both face portions of a carrierbar, indicia means are provided on both faces of the carrier bar, andindicia means aref positioned on the frame associated with an endportion of each carrier bar.

In order` to understand the invention completely, reference should behad to the details of the structure shown in the drawings, and a controlor register device of the invention is indithe numeral l. This controldevice l includes a substantially square, flat frame 2 which has an opencenter portion 3 provided therein. Usually one section of the frame,indicated by the frame member Il, is wider than the remaining parts ofthe frame to facilitate securing indicia receiving means or similararticles thereto, as will be hereinafter described. The frame 2 may bemade from any suitable material and usually it is constructed from anattractive, serviceable wood, such as maple or walnut. The opposedportion of the frame 2, with relation to the frame member 4, isindicated by the frame member 5. Normally the frame would be positionedin a vertical plane with the frame members 4 and 5 extending vertically.1t is preferred that grooves B and 1 be formed in the opposed facesurfaces of the frame members 4 and 5, respectively, to aid inpositioning the indicator means in the control device I.

As an important feature of the invention, a plurality of carrier bars 8are positioned in the frame center 3 in vertically spaced, parallelrelation. These carrier bars 8 preferably are made from metal, such asaluminum, by an extrusion process and. are of substantially 1s`hapesection so that each of the carrier bars 8 has a top ange 9 extendingfrom both upper 'edges thereof and has a bottom, or base flange IIJprotruding from the lower edge of veach carrier bar. Usually these topand base flanges 9 land IE) are slightly curved and extend inwardly ofthe carrier bar towads each other, as indicated in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. The carrier bars 8 are engaged with the frame 2 by having theend portions of each carrier bar snugly received in the grooves 6 and 1.Suitable spacer Yplates II, usually made from metal, are secured to theframe 2 intermediate each pair of the adjacent carrier bars to aid inretaining the carrier bars in desired spaced relation and in engagementwith the frame 2. Any suitable means, such asescutcheon pins I2, areused for securing the-plates I I in position.

As shown in Fig. 4, the top and bottom flanges 3 and I@ of the carrierbars 8 overhang the associated side portions of Athe carrier bars` sothat suitable indicia bearing slips or boards I3 can be engaged withsuch anges onopposite sides or faces of each of the carrier bars B whendesired, as indicated in the drawings. The slips I3 engage any givencarrier bar and will usually have the same data appearingthereon withsuch data being the same in a direction Yextending from the frame member4 towards the-frame rmember 5, for a purpose to be describedhereinafter. These slips I3 may be of any suitable'construction and haveany desired data thereon. The slips may be pressed into engagement ywiththe overhanging top and base flanges or else be slid telescopically intoengagement therewith before the carrier bars are secured in place in theframe 2, as desired.

Yet a further feature of the invention resides in an indicator or markerI4 one of whichis in slidable engagement with one'of the top vor baseflanges 9 or I0, respectively of leach of the carrier bars. Usually apair of indicators I4 engage with each of the carrier bars with oneindicator being positioned on the top flange'and one on the base flangethereof, as shown in the drawings. Usually the indicators are `of a onepiecef'molded construction and are made from a conventional plasticmaterial by an injection molding operation. The indicators I4 are ofsubstantially U-shape in section with each indicator having a pair ofopposed, parallel arms I and I6 provided thereon. Each of these arms l5and I6 is pointed, as indicated at I1 at the extremity thereof andextends towards the opposite flange of the carrier bar positioning'same,so that the points I1 of the arms I5 and I6 are in lall instancesclearly associated with the indicator slips I3 carried by any givencarrier bar. It should be noted that the arms I5 and I6 thus make theslips I3 readable from either side of any carrier bar. By spacing thebars as shown, the indicators I4 can be manually moved from either sideof the control or register device of the invention and the indicators i4will be readable from any desired direction and will provide the samereading on the slips I3 regardless of which side of the device I aperson is viewing sam-e from. Fig, 4 shows that the indicators `I4 onthe inner surfaces of the arms I5 and IG thereof, are provided withrecessed portions terminating in shoulders I3 which facilitate securinga positive engagement between the indicators and the anges of lthecarrier bars positioning same. All of the indicators I4 have inherentresiliency and this facilitates snapping the indicators onto or off ofthe iianges positioning same after the device of the invention has beencompletely assembled.

The data being recorded or registered by the device of the inventionalso is partially indicated by the use of y,plates YI9 that 'aresuitably secured in spaced parallel relation to the frame member 4'adjacent the upper and lower margins 'of the carrier bars 8 by suitablemeans, such as escutcheon pins 20. These plates i9 normally are providedwith a pair of opposed overhanging flanges 2i so that the plates 'i9 canreadily receive data bearing means such as cards `or slips 22 in slidingengagement therewith.

In theeXample of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 4, this registerdevice yis particularly adapted for use in large oflices wherein anumber of salesmen are'employed and are inandont of the office atvarious times during a day. The salesmen can move the indicator devices`I 4 'along the carrier bars provided to show-'when they will be in theoffice, or whenthey will return to the office or the factthat they areoutof vtheioffce and will not return, all as is shown onthe data bearingslips I3 carried-by the carrier bars. NR is used on the data slips toindicate when the salesman is out and will not vreturn that day. Twosalesmens activities are yrecorded on Aone carrier'bar 8 inasmuch asthere isa plate`I9 .provided adjacent each-margin of such carrier bar.The salesmens names, such as `Smith and Jones, would appearon the databearing card v2-2 provided in his indicator plate I9 and the salesmanwould indicate-his actions by the particular indicator` I4 associatedwith or level with his name card 22. Of course, the indicators I4 areof-such size'that the pointed ends I1 thereof can readily be slid byeach other when two indicators are positioned by any oneY carrierbar'onthe'opposed flanges thereof.

Fig. 5 of the invention shows a modied type of a device 3I of theinvention wherein this special device 3I is generally similar to `thedevice I and it positions'a data receiving plate 32 adjacent orv alignedhorizontally with each of a number 'of carrier bars 33 positioned in thedevice. One indicator '34 maybe slidably engaged with the upper flangeof each of the carrier bars 33 whereas a pair of indicators may beassociated with the lower flange ofeach carrier bar. A data bearing slip35 is shown engagedwith each of the carrier bars 33. Thus byl usingVsimilar data bearing slips as in the device shown in Figs. l through 4,a salesman now can indicate,`V whether or not he is in, and how longAand when he expects to be in the office by the time indicated betweenthe two'spaced indicators received onY onean'ge of the carrier bar 33.

The indicia `'slips or indicia appearing' on fany givenfcarrier barnormallywouldbeexactly the narrow, shallow same on opposite surfaceson'` any given carrier bar, with the exception that the data would readin a direction of from right to left, for example, on one face of thedevice and would read from left to right on the opposite face. However,the

indicia l sllps on different carrier the base portion the arms mannerthat is desired.

It Will be appreciated that the indicator and recording device of theinvention can be used in any desired manner for recording or controllingindividually produced or else could be produced ina unitary type of aframe. It also may even in a frame, such as the frame 2 illustratedherein, for carrying the indicia I9 and slips 22. Such controls orindicators provided for the data indicated or recorded on the auxiliarycenter frame strip provided. Thus, for example, the operations to beperformed on the carrier bars so that the indicator means can beaccurately or positively located with relation to the carrier bars andhence with relation to any data bearing slips carried thereby. Of

barmayfpfuicourse, be made from plastic material as Well as any othersuitable material.

From the foregoing, it will be realized that a sturdy, compact, `controland register device has beenprovided` by the invention. Thls device hasWhile several complete embodiments of the invention have been disclosedherein, it will be appreciated that modification of these particulartion as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An indicator device comprising a frame having an open center portion,said frame having opposed grooves formed in a pair of opposed sides ofthe open center portion thereof, a plurality of carrier bars the ends ofwhich are received in said grooves to position such bars in said frames,said carrier bars having side porl tions, spacer means for accuratelylocating said carrier bars, said carrier bars being roughly of rierbars, indiciareceiving means on said frame at the ends of said carrierbars, and indicators slidably engaged with the said top ilanges of saidtion with both sides of said carrier bars.

2 An indicator device comprising a frame having an open center portion,said frame havgrooves formed in a pair of opposed sides denlng thecenter portion thereof, a plurality of carrier bars the ends of whichare received in said grooves and thereby positioned in said frames,spacer means in said grooves for accurately locating said carrier bars,said carrier bars being roughly of I-shape in section and havinginwardly curved base and top ange portions, indicia means on the sidesof said carrier bars, indicia receiving means on said frame adjacent theend of each of said carrier bars, and resilient molded indicatorsslidably engaged only both sides thereof, indicators being roughly ofinverted U-shape in section, other indicators being engaged only withsaid base flanges to extend upwardly therefrom into association withboth sides of said carrier bars, the indicators being resilient to besprung into and out of engagement with the top and 'base anges, theindicators on the top and base anges of anyone said carrier barextending toanswers secured in spaced parallel relation to said frame,

said carrier bars having edge flanges thereon,

and a substantially 'U-shaped plastic indicatorV slidablyandyremovablyengagng oneof said edge anges only of a said carrier `bar,said 'indicator having spaced opposed parallel :farms terminating ininwardly extending lflanges engaging said carrier bars edge flange, saidindicator having -a base engaging 'an `outer surface of said edgeiiange, said indicator having a recess extending longitudinally 'thereofin the inner sur-face of Vits oase -to aid inmaking the said lindicator`resilient to be snapped into and from engagement with said edge iiange.

References Cited. 'in the ifile of this patent Number ssn/31 15 339,570

'UNITED 'STATES PATENTS VName Date Wormald Oct. 29, 1872 Walker Jan. 28,1902 Edmonds Mar. 5, 1912 Nygaard Apr. 12, 1932 Ep-ps Nov. 2, 1937 EvansMay 8, 1951 FORElGN PATENTS Country Date Australia Jan. 2l, 1931 GreatBritain Oct. 12, 1933

